Edouard Julien had the type of rookie season with the Twins last season that suggested he could take a stranglehold on the second base job, hitting .263 with 16 home runs in 109 games. The former 18th-round draft pick drew the attention of a lot of people, including opposing pitchers — which goes a long way in explaining why Julien is currently wearing a Saints’ uniform.
The 25-year-old Julien was hitting .207 for the Twins this season when he was sent down on June 4. Asked on Thursday about his offensive struggles, Julien said he was seeing more curve balls and sliders than ever before in his young professional career.
His hitting woes continued after joining the Saints, with pitchers going after him with the same approach. “I think I’ve been getting 15 to 20% fastballs here,” he said. “They throw me a lot of spin, so it’s something I’ve got to get better at.
And I am. My approach has to change a little bit, but I have to be aggressive on stuff in the zone.” Julien was recalled by the Twins on July 20 with infielders Royce Lewis and Jose Miranda out due to injury, but returned to the Saints a week later when both players completed their rehab assignments.
With Brooks Lee also in the mix now at second base, Julien’s return to the majors becomes the much more difficult. “I think if I want to be back, I’ve got to be better; that’s it,” Julien said. “So, for me, I don’t question anything else.
I can’t point fingers or be pissed off. I’ve just .